I wrote about Dick's generosity (August 2017 post) as evidenced all the people that shared their experiences in Barrie Rickards biography Richard Walker an Angling Legend. It's his kindness to all the unknown people he met that is not so well known. As I mentioned earlier I was at a crossroads in my late twenties and Dick had arranged for me to be interviewed for a job at Hardy's of Alnwick. At the same time I had set eyes upon Hereford and the Wye (as a result of reading Bernard Venables Mr Crabtree page 95 when aged seven) for the very first time and had already vowed to spend the rest of my life here. This was Dick's inspirational response to my decision:
Trouble is, the fish just don't read the books......
John Harding
“Fishing is much more than fish. It is the great occasion when we may return to the fine simplicity of our forefathers,” Herbert Hoover.
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Thank you gentlemen. It is just amazing how he found the time to do so much for so many people. When I re - read Barrie Rickards biography I am reminded that Dick was a truly amazing human being in so many ways. I never actually met him but he introduced me to John Harding of Silchester and we spent some fun years in the 80's trying to catch double figure barbel from the Wye. Our best was 11:13 but it was much easier then......
Trouble is, the fish just don't read the books......
John Harding